The House of Representatives on Wednesday night passed a bill to provide $28million in emergency funding to address the baby formula crisis after parents blasted President Joe Biden for taking too long to invoke the Defense Production Act.
Republicans said the legislation was covering up for the administration's 'ineptitude' during the crisis and is only 'throwing money at the FDA' rather than fixing the problem.
The White House now insists the new moves will reverse the baby formula shortage after weeks of bare shelves, with Surgeon General Vivek Murthy telling MSNBC's Morning Joe on Thursday that supplies will increase in weeks.
The House passed two bills. The first was a measure approved on a 414-9 vote that will allow low-income women to purchase more baby formula through the federal Women, Infant and Children (WIC) program.
The second, the Infant Formula Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022, provides the funding as parents across America struggle to find supplies to feed their children and was passed on a 231-192 vote.
Their fates are uncertain in the Senate, but Democratic Majority Leader has said he will try and pass the bills by unanimous consent - even though it could be blocked by one Senator.
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